Flash
by thatblue
Summary: The touch of an Angel had taken his Rose, but he will stop at nothing to find her again. My first nine fic, reviews are appreciated.
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own Doctor Who. I wasn't going to write this yet, because I have other stories in the works but the idea wouldn't rest. This is my first time writing the ninth Doctor, so please forgive me if it's a little off. If it is, I'm open to suggestions. Anyway, I hope you enjoy.**

Rose shook her head, shifting to stand on her feet again. Her head spun for a moment, but stopped just as quickly. She was in a field, of flower mingling with tall grass, and it was quite pretty. Even if the air felt thick around her and the day much too warm to really be comfortable. Sweat was pooling over her brow and she wiped at it absently trying to collect her thoughts.

Okay, so the Doctor was going to be mad she was certain. And yes, she should have listened but she was only trying to help, surely he could understand that. And when had she ever listened when he told her to stay somewhere?

But this had never happened before either. Had she been transported? That seemed like a much better option than being dead.

"Hi," a young female voice called out to her.

Rose spun around searching for the source until she saw a girl sitting in a tree, at the edge of the field. She was nine, maybe ten, sitting what comfortable on a large outstretched branch swinging her feet happily.

Rose walked over and looked up at her smiling, trying to appear calm. "Hi."

The girl scratched at her face for a moment, and then asked. "Where did you come from? You just appeared."

That accent, it wasn't British, in fact sounded very American. And it held what Rose knew was a hint of a southern drawl. "It's a bit complicated," Rose looked back to where she had appeared, trying to find a better answer, but when she looked back the girl was working her way down the tree.

In a minute she was standing in front of her, a bit on the short side, but very pretty. She was tan, and had natural blond hair pulled back into a tie, bright green eyes looking up at Rose as if she was trying to figure it all out.

"Okay," she finally agreed at last, leaving the next move up to Rose.

"Where am I?" Rose asked, eyes searching for a clue, but all she saw was the field and trees. This girl might be the only one for miles, but at least she seemed to be on Earth. At least she hoped it was Earth.

The girl followed her gaze around the field, before they settled back on Rose. "In a field," she told her, her voice friendly.

If she had been an adult Rose would have thought that was sarcasm but it was said in innocence. It was just a child answer.

"Right," Rose agreed, nodding and offering the child a smile, trying to appear harmless. She didn't want to scare of the only person she had found. "But where? The US?"

The girl gave her a small head tilt, and nodded. "Yes, Missouri. Are you okay? Did ya hit your head?"

Rose shook said head, "No, things are just a bit complicated in my life." That was an understatement. "What year is it?"

The girl smiled, looking like she thought Rose might be a little off. "1996."

She told her and Rose gave a small smile. "1996," she repeated. Across and ocean she was alive and well, about the same age as this girl in front of her.

Well she had been in front of her, now she was walking away, but slowly giving Rose a chance to catch up. She did so quickly, placing a hand on her arm. She didn't know what had happened, but she knew the Doctor would stop at nothing to find her, but until then she would need an ally.

"I'm Rose," she said when the girl stopped.

The younger held out a hand politely, which Rose shook. "I'm Autumn. Listen, it's getting towards dinner time, would you like to join us."

Rose was quite hunger, and all she could do right now is wait and try to stay out of trouble. "Sure, that sounds great, Autumn."

DW

'Stay in the TARDIS, Rose,' he had told her. How hard was that? It was for her protection, it wasn't as though he was just doing it for his amusement. He would die for his silly little human, move the world for her, so why couldn't she do the one thing he asked of her?

Why couldn't she stay safe? Couldn't she see that she was his everything, and he had lost her? Oh, he would find her, it wasn't going to be easy, but he was determined. He had finished taking care of the enemy and now he was back in the TARDIS, fingers working away, trying to use the TARDIS to track down where she had vanished, when was an even better question.

When in the world was Rose? The scanner was protesting and he slammed his hand against the console, her image of surprise flashing across her face, just before it happened. He had seen it in the window, and his turning instead of watching had probably caused this.

But if she had stayed, none of this would have happened. They would be laughing now, instead of him holding his sore hand and the TARDIS humming a loud protest.

He rubbed her gently, "Sorry," he muttered, and he meant it. It wasn't her fault; it was like finding Rose in the whole world with a scrap of clothing. Except it was just a faint trace of her energy.

And it wasn't easy. There were two many bodies, too many years, to try to sort through, and it could take days, or longer. And what if she didn't have that kind of time? Was she safe, wherever she was?

He hoped she found good kind people. People who would watch out for her, not that she wasn't capable of doing it on her own, but that didn't stop his worry.

"Please," he begged, though he wasn't sure who he was asking the favor for.

He began to work again, knowing that he wouldn't stop until she was back with him. All of time, billons of lives, but there was only one Rose, and he would find her.


	2. Chapter 2

**I hope that this is in character, I'm worried. **

The Doctor was more than a little frustrated. A lot more than a little, this sounded odd in his head. But he was. He had managed in the last couple of hours to track her signal to the United States, but that wasn't anywhere near close enough. He felt a growl of anger rising in him.

Where was she? When was she? It was going to be a lot more complicated to narrow down the year, and he might have to go off world for the technology, and that annoyed him even more. Not because Rose wasn't worth it, but because he felt like every moment apart was equal to ten years.

And he so hoped that whenever she was, it was reasonably recent. Not that his Rose wasn't perfectly capable of taking care of herself, but he thought she would fare better if they had already invented indoor plumbing.

How he longed to pull his silly ape into his arm. Would he be willing to let her go again?

Damn Angels, taking away his Rose. He had given up on blaming her. That wasn't getting him anywhere fast. Rose hung the moon, all of them, as far as his hearts were concerned.

And he didn't want to consider the chance that he wouldn't find her safe. She couldn't be dead, she was... well, she was just everything now wasn't she. She was his light, his second chance. His foundation when he hadn't yet realized he wasn't quite standing strong.

And she would be found. The TARDIS was humming again, to tell him that new information had been found. He spun the screen to look at it and let out a small sigh. Well, he was a little closer, she wasn't anywhere near him, and he was in…New York, in 2022.

Rose would have loved it…will love it. He will get her and take her back here.

He knew that everywhere she wasn't narrowed it down, but that wasn't fast enough for him. He was going to have to go get the parts to get a biological signal detector. At least the TARDIS had a sample, which made things a lot easier.

DW

Rose and Autumn were still walking, talking easily. So easily it wasn't as if Rose was a nineteen year old woman from London, and Autumn wasn't a ten- Rose had asked her age- year old from a small town in Missouri. That great big ocean of separation had just become a little water.

Autumn was smart, more than normal. She shared small details of her life, as Rose prompted. She was ten, grown up here all of her short life. Her father was gone; she didn't specify what kind of gone, and her mother worked all day. So in the summer, it was June and a Wednesday, Autumn was left to her own devices during the day.

She had friends, but they were all on vacation. Her mom couldn't afford to send her to summer camp along with her friends. But she didn't mind, she said, it was good for thinking.

Rose smiled at her, trying to seem normal. It had never seemed more important to keep the situation calm. She was shooting for this being nothing like her normal life with the Doctor.

Especially the running, it was just much too hot. And they had walked for miles it seemed, and it may have actually been that. She hoped they would be inside somewhere soon. The sweat reminded her of the planet of Sholo they had taken a trip to last week.

It was hot like this, and mostly deserted as this small town seemed to be, but the grass was bright orange and was up to her hips. She and the Doctor had a picnic. For a man who claimed to have no desire to be domestic sometimes he did it so well. She wondered if she was the reason he allowed the traces of a normal life, a slow path kind of life, but she doubted he saw her like she saw him.

He was the universe, the stuff he showed her, well that was just stuff. Beautiful, amazing stuff, but without him, did she want to see it?

"We'll be there soon," Autumn told her, breaking into her thoughts.

Rose had been wondering, but she hadn't spoken the thought aloud. She hadn't wanted to seem rude. Surely it had to be a coincidence, right?

She couldn't have read her mind. She just couldn't. Except now that she had met the Doctor couldn't wasn't a word that held a lot of stock. Couldn't often meant just hadn't happened to her yet.

At last they hit a road; it was gravel but a road all the same. And a road led to people. This road led to Autumns house it seemed, because after another minute or two of walking they were there. A big house, a shade of blue that reminded Rose of the TARDIS and she felt tears rise to her eyes.

She was being silly; it wasn't as thought she wasn't going to see it... or the man inside again, he would come for her. He would always come for her, he had said. He may not have known she had heard, because she was meant to be sleeping, but she had, and a promise was a promise.

"Honey," a voice came through the screen door as they approached, "I was hoping you would be home soon, I brought a friend home for supper. Hope you don't mind."

The voice was sweet, like honey, and floated like a song. It was a mother voice, maybe not her mother, but what she imagined other mothers must sound like. Oh, she loved her mother but she was a bit rough around the edges. But she was hers.

Autumn motioned for the now nervous Rose to follow her into the house, when Rose paused she even slipped her small hand into hers. And she was reminded of the Doctor again. Was that how life was going to be until she was back with him? Would every normal thing make her think of the man who was anything but?

A woman stepped out, Autumns mother, looking like an adult version of the pretty little girl. Really, if Autumn had been older they could have been sisters.

She was smiling, until she saw Rose, and it faltered, though she brought it right back.

"Hi Mom," she walked over to her, standing on her toes to kiss her mother's cheek. "This is Rose, she new in town. I invited her to supper, is that okay?"

Her mother hugged her tightly, and looked Rose over. Apparently deciding she wasn't a threat to their safe little life she nodded and offered Rose her hand.

"Nice to meet you Rose, of course you can stay. Any friend of Autumns is always welcome."

"Thank you," Rose told her, shaking her hand and thanked the stars for southern hospitality.

"Oh, not from around here, I see," her mother was beaming now. "That's nice, anyway, Autumn." She turned to her daughter, "As I was saying, I have a guest as well. Would you like to come meet him?"

"Him?" Autumn's tone was cautious, and Rose didn't think she was fond of her mother bringing a man home.

"Yes, he's new in town too," her mother told them. "By the way, Rose, I'm Abigail. You can come too."

She motioned for both of them to follow her to the kitchen, and Rose felt like she had just been invited to join the family. She felt warmth, and Autumns smile made it all the better. She had never had a sister, maybe she could pretend.

She half entertained that the man in the kitchen would be the Doctor. That he had found her already, though she knew he was still going to be mad even if it had been such short amount of time since she had be transported.

But it wasn't him, and her heart fell more than she thought it would. The man was handsome, bright blue eyes, that hurt her a little to look at. Too close to the man who held her heart.

"Hi, Autumn," he was looking at the younger girl. Rose recognized the look from some of the men who tried to be her friend, which her mum had dated.

"Hi," she responded, but she didn't look like she was buying what he was selling.

"I'm Peter," he offered her his hand, and Rose suspected that it was only politeness that made her hand reach for his.

"And this is Rose, Autumns new friend," Abigail told Peter.

"Rose, pretty name," he said with the beginning of a wink.

Rose shook his hand, but she didn't like him. And given the chance and any sign that he wasn't wanted by the others she would help him leave.

"Autumn help me set the table, please, sweetheart."

Autumn and Abigail grabbed supplies and left the room, leaving Peter and Rose in the kitchen. Rose wasn't scared, but she was uncomfortable. There was something about him she didn't like, something that had nothing to do with the sleaze that rolled of his handsome face.

He was watching her, eyes calculating. "You smell like starlight." It was so low Rose wasn't sure she heard right, and it was almost a growl.

"What?"

He looked at her in the eye now, "Nothing, didn't say anything."

That was a lie, but before she could say another word, Abigail asked them to join them in the dining room.

"Hurry Doctor," she whispered as she walked out of the kitchen.


	3. Chapter 3

The Doctor had been on Little Way for two hours, and he was furious. He was wasting time, but the man who had the part didn't want to sell. The only other planet who had Titleranium, was rationing it and he didn't have much of a chance there.

"I told you I would pay triple what you were first asking, when I came in," the Doctor growled.

"It's no longer for sale," the man had the sense to look scared, and the Doctor thought that this went above him.

"Who do I have to talk to then," the Doctor asked, him, wanting to slam is fist on the table but knowing it wouldn't get him anywhere.

"Please, just go," the man begged. "Please, you don't know what you are getting into. Consider the girl gone."

He hadn't mentioned Rose, and the Doctor reached over the table, grabbing the man by his expensive shirt and hauling him to his feet. The Doctor leaned in close. "What do you mean?"

"You don't know who you are dealing with, please, leave her. The whole Earth will be in danger if you find her," the man was shaking.

"And you don't know who you are dealing with," the Doctor told him.

"Yes, I do, Doctor," he said softly.

The Doctor let go of him. He hadn't told him his name either, and that meant this went farther than he wanted to think about.

"Tell me why the whole world is in danger," he told him.

"She wasn't meant to be a part of it," the man told him, as if that was his apology. "Look, I don't know all the details, but she just fell into their laps. They don't know yet, but they will, and they will use her to get to you."

Anyone who tried to use Rose for anything would make a enemy that they didn't want to have. "Who?"

"The Corian," he said the words in a hushed tone. The Doctor knew that this stupid man before him wasn't involved, at least not on the side of the Corian but he did have answers, and he would be sharing them.

The Doctor had stopped the Corian before; they had tried about twenty two years before Rose was even born to invade. They were slave traders, and some of the worse species in the universe. He had let two of their invasion party live, to take back a message. That the Earth wasn't on the menu, but they had apparently gotten brave again.

"They are banned," the Doctor argued, but it was only with himself.

The man however felt the need to agree, "Yes, they know. And they are well hidden, but they have your Rose."

"Where," he demanded.

"I don't know, but we have people working on it, but Doctor, you can't go."

"I don't care who you have," the Doctor told him, hands resting on the table, eyes filled with something that would inspire fear. "She is my Rose, she is…mine…I will find her, and I will stop them."

"They will be expecting you, they aren't us. If you stay away, we can save the Earth."

"There is nothing you can say that will keep me from getting to Rose," he told him, leaving no more room to argue. He laid down triple the asking price, and the man finally rose and walked to the back. He brought out a hunk of the metal and handed it to him.

"Is she worth risking the world?"

The Doctor didn't answer, because he was scared of the answer, and he spun and started to leave. He paused. "Don't tell anyone I was here."

The man shook his head. "Believe me, I don't want involved anymore than I am."

The Doctor believed him, and left carrying his last piece, and walked back to the TARDIS to start building.

DW

Dinner was quiet, but Rose was trying to keep a careful eye on Peter. He was a picture of charm in the presence of the others, but Autumn didn't seem any more convinced that Rose did.

After desert, Rose lingered as long as she could, she had no where to go, and no money anyway, but the time finally came when Peter spoke of leaving. She didn't want to be around when he did so, she so thanked them and Autumn walked to the door with her.

She leaned in very close and whispered, "There is a tree on the far side of the house, climb it, and my window is unlocked. Wait for me there."

Rose just nodded, unsure of how Autumn knew that she needed a safe place to stay but thankful, and she left Autumn with a wave.

She found the tree, and there was a light on in the room, though she was fairly certain Autumn was still down stairs. She climbed, something she hadn't done in such a long time, and reaching the branch that stretched out to the window she scooted across.

She missed the Doctor fiercely, and she knew he would smile to see her now. She opened the window, ignoring the tears that were brimming in her eyes, hands to busy to wipe them away, and slid in, somehow silently. She closed it behind her and looked about room.

The room was decorated thickly, and bore a lot of green items. There were several posters on the wall, but they weren't anything Rose had heard of, and there was a desk with papers. She shouldn't snoop but she looked down at them, keeping her ears open for any noise that would indicate that she needed to hide.

It seemed to be a story, she picked it up and read. It was about a man, a time traveler and his friend. A girl with blond hair, and brown eyes, and Rose tried to ignore how much the story seemed like their life. There were another stack of papers and she looked through them, each on seemed to be one adventure in the pair life.

She wanted to read more closely when she heard footsteps on the stairs. Rose looked around and then slipped into the closet.

She heard the door open and movement within and she tried to stay silent. "Thanks for treating Peter well, honey."

Autumn was silent for a moment, and Rose didn't have to see her to know she made a face. "Sure," she agreed. "I'm tired, Mom, so I'm going to go to bed."

"Okay," she moved again and Rose heard papers being touched. "Still writing these stories, then?"

"Yes," Autumn agreed. "Just stories, you know."

"I know," Abigail agreed. "You write so well, I just can't imagine where you get your ideas."

"I'm not sure either," Autumn agreed and let out a yawn that Rose was certain was fake.

"Right," Abigail told her, her tone returning to the motherly tone from earlier in the evening. "You get some sleep, and I love you."

"Love you too, Mom," she told her.

Rose heard the door close, but she waited until Autumn opened the closet door for her. When she did at last, Rose found a smile though she had questions she wanted so much to ask.


	4. Chapter 4

Inside the TARDIS, parts spread in front of him, jacket resting on the jump seat, he took a moment to think. Was Rose worth risking the world? He liked her, oh, who was he kidding, he loved her, but the answer was no. He would never sacrifice the world for her, but in this moment he didn't believe that the Earth was better off without his help.

And if Rose was where the Corian was, than that was all the more reason to find her. He reached for the pieces he needed first, and sighed.

Building this wasn't hard, not for a genius like him, but he was worried. Worried about her, about what state he might find her in. And what was going to happen when he did find her. At least he had some warning this time, knew that they would be searching for him.

His mind remembered something and he left his project for a moment, searching under the console for the box labeled with a G.

When he found it he searched inside until he came across a small green disk. It was given to him as a gift, and it would offer him camouflage for an hour.

When he had received it, as thanks for saving a planet, it was lit with five bright purple dots, but now there was only one. The last time he could use this particular gift, but he needed the time.

The TARDIS he could put on standby, but he had no way to hide himself. For an hour he would give off no more energy than a human. An hour to find Rose, and stop the Corians. He did like a challenge.

DW

"So, you write," Rose asked Autumn, standing near her desk but not touching the papers, yet.

Autumn had been digging in the closet for extra blankets and pillows, but she stuck her head back out. "Yes, those stories anyway. They are all I ever dream about."

"So they are just dreams, then?"

Autumn finally stepped out into the room, holding a large blanket and two pillows. "Yes, I suppose…sometimes…"

"Sometimes what?"

Autumn shook her head, "It's silly, never mind."

She sat the items on the end of the bed and then leaned down to pull out a small mattress from under the bigger bed. Rose imagined it was for when Autumns friends slept over. "Please tell me, I won't laugh or anything."

Autumn set up the mattress before she finally spoke. "Sometimes they seem so real. Sometimes I dream while I'm awake."

She seemed concerned, but Rose gave her a small smile. "I have a friend," she began trying to see if anything about Autumns face seemed to understand more than she was saying, "he knows about that sort of thing, maybe when he comes he can help."

Autumn looked down, sitting on the mattress on the floor and pointing for Rose to take the actual bed. Rose wanted to argue, but she suspected she had already upset Autumn and she didn't want to hurt her feelings anymore.

"Do you think I need help," Autumn asked her, her young voice sounding terribly tired in that moment.

"No," Rose said quickly, "I didn't mean it like that, sorry."

Autumn was more quiet then she had been since they met, but she slid down pulling the blanket up to her waist, and facing away from Rose. "I locked the door, we will just have to get up before Mom, and figure out what do to with you tomorrow."

"Okay," Rose agreed, sleep trying to claim her as well. "Thanks."

Autumn didn't respond, at least not to what Rose had said. "He's coming, don't worry."

Rose laid there in shock, something deeper was going on here, but Autumn breathing had evened out and Rose knew that she had fallen asleep. She didn't want to bother her, and it wasn't long before she fell asleep herself.

**Hours Later**

Rose felt a hand go over her mouth and she could hear the soft struggle of Autumn from close by, before the world went dark again. She was awake, but drowsy, her eyes covered by a blind fold, and she could hear the sound of an engine. Every once in a while they would go over a bump in the road, but Rose had no idea where they were going.

A small hand touched hers, and she grabbed it, somehow knowing that it was Autumn. Rose felt so grateful that she was safe.

It was a long while before Rose heard the door of the car they were in open, and they were pulled out and ushered forward. They let her keep Autumns hand in hers and Rose held on tight, trying to convey a strength she didn't feel. In truth Autumn was probably more calm than she was at that moment.

They walked for a while until they were turned, Autumn being pulled away, though they didn't seem to take her anywhere else, and Rose felt handcuffs being applied to her wrist.

Her back was against a wall, her legs strapped now as well, and the blindfold was removed. She looked around at once for Autumn and saw her in the same shape a few feet away. But she gave her a small smile, showing a braveness Rose was proud of.

Before her stood a man, not just any man. It was Peter, and he smiled sweetly, but Rose wanted to hit him.

"Hello, beautiful Rose," he touched her cheek, but Rose turned her head. "The pretty ones are always so feisty," he muttered. "No matter, once the Doctor comes, and he is coming isn't he Autumn, you both will be ours to control."

"If he is coming," Rose told him, "Then you know that he will stop you."

Peter laughed, "No, we are prepared this time. We are expecting him."

Another man burst into the room, a man who looked a lot like Autumn and a gasp from Autumn told Rose everything.

"I told you to treat her well," he walked up to Autumn but didn't reach out for her. "I'm sorry, honey. We will get you down."

He motioned to Peter who apologized and went to unlock her but Autumn shook her head. "Don't touch me. I stay where Rose is."

"You don't mean that," the man shook his head. "I want to talk to you, in private. To explain why I had to go, and who I really am."

"You aren't my Dad," Autumn told him, softly. "My Dad wouldn't do this."

"Oh, darling. My sweet little girl, I've missed you so, but the Corians have shown me a new way. I can give you a real life now. So much more than what we had before."

"I didn't want anything more," her voice was so soft and sad then, that Rose stepped in.

"So what are you then," Rose asked him. "You look human, but I'm guessing that you aren't."

"No," the man shook his head. He glanced at his daughter and then with a sigh turned to Rose. "Fine, I'll explain to you too."


	5. Chapter 5

The Doctor had the detector built and he plugged it into his scanner on the TARDIS, because that was where her energy trace was stored. He held his breath while it scanned, and felt it come out in a sharp exhale when it confirmed that it had found her. It had been days, probably, hopefully, not that for her. But for him it had felt like years and years.

The signature was odd though, flashing into 1896 and then into 1996 and staying there. It was the same location though. It seemed as though the Angels sent her back to 1896 and something else had transported her forward. The two jumps must've been hell on her head, he mused.

He landed, but scanned thoroughly before he stepped out of the TARDIS. A habit he didn't normally make, he like jumping right in, and liked it when Rose wanted to do the same. But this wasn't the time to be careless. He only had an hour, and the world and Rose were at stake.

There were various, very clear species energy flowing outside those doors. Hopefully not right outside, and he knew that he would have to activate it at once. The area outside his ship looked clear so he took a breath, and activated the Glimber and opened the door.

It was a warm day, beautiful, the kind of day he would like to share with Rose. It probably wasn't a good sign that almost every thought led back to her, but it was the truth.

He was in front of a warehouse, and he walked to the door, trying to avoid suspicion. He may only be putting out human energy but he could still be seen. No one seemed to be around however, which made him believe whatever was going on inside was more important than whatever could happen out here. Which was both good news and bad news.

DW

The man had sat, "My earth name is Andrew," he told Rose, but he kept watching Autumn. "I was sent here twelve years ago from my home planet to stand guard against the Corians."

Rose glanced at Autumn, who seemed to already made the connection that she was at least half alien. "My people, your people too Autumn, well they were good and just and they wanted to protect the earth."

"So what made you change your mind," Rose asked.

He smiled but it wasn't as sure as before. "The Corians are made up of so many species, all with a shared goal of domination. To be the top group in the universe."

"Didn't ask for a history lesson," Autumn told him.

He sighed heavily, "Fine, anyway, I met Peter here while I was away on business, for my cover job here. He told me all about their plan, and he said that if I joined you all would be spared. And that we would have our fair share of the slaves we captured."

"That's sick," Autumn told him.

He looked up at her, eyes brimming with tears, and Rose felt a little bad for him. Not about the wanting slaves, but he thought that he was doing something good for his daughter.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "No matter what you say, I have to do this now. I have to protect you. In minutes there is going to be a wave sent out of a transmitter. It will make the humans mindless slaves. But you will be safe."

"I'd rather be dead," she told him.

He looked as though the words had been a physical blow. It was then that Rose saw a familiar glimpse of leather. She saw his face only for a second and he made a gesture for her to keep them talking while he tried to stop the wave.

"It's not too late, sure you have made a mistake but can't you do something." Rose asked him.

Andrew was still looking at Autumn. "No, I can't. It's too late, they will kill us all if I leave. You'll see darling, it'll be all right. We can be together again."

He walked up to her, and touched her face gently. "Leave me alone," Autumn whispered. "I don't want to be with someone like you."

Peter entered then, and he didn't look happy. "Time is up, Andrew. We let you try, but she doesn't want to join and that makes her a liability. And as for this Rose, she has failed to bring the Doctor so she is no use alive."

A tall green something came in with what Rose knew was a weapon, and for a moment she wondered if the Doctor was close. He had to stop the wave of course, even if that meant that he couldn't save her or Autumn, but she really hoped that both could happen.

"Shoot them," Peter told the green thing.

The gun was shifted up and the next couple of minutes were rapid and confusing. She heard the gun fire and saw Andrew leap in front of Autumn and take the fire. He fell to the ground and stopped moving but the gun fire kept coming.

But it never hit Autumn or her, because it kept bouncing off of some sort of force field. The field flashed green every time that something connected but nothing broke through. Rose looked over at Autumn who seemed to be concentrating but offered her a weak smile.

Then all the lights went out, and it was a long moment before they came back on. When they did, Peter and the green creature were tied up in the corner.

The Doctor stood back up and beamed at Rose for a moment before moving to where Andrew lay. Rose imagined he already knew that he was gone, but he checked anyway before standing again. His face was all compassion for Autumn and he pulled the screwdriver out and got them both un-cuffed.

Autumn sat down next to her father, tears running down her face. She touched his cheek gently.

"Come on Rose, let's wrap this thing up," the Doctor told her.

They did just that. Apparently the Doctor had shut down the wave, and he agreed to let Peter and the others go if they gathered up every one of the Corian, and he would be checking, and went far away.

They agreed and the Doctor fixed the controls so that the transmitter could never be used again before they returned to Autumn. By then the Doctor had already hugged her tightly, and told her that he missed her.

Walking back into the room, the Doctor squatted down next to Autumn and he pulled her to his chest. She didn't sob against him, but she let him hold her tightly. For just a moment Rose wondered if he had ever had children of his own.

"I'm sorry," he told her, releasing her and helping her stand.

"I already lost him," she spoke bravely, almost convincingly, if it wasn't for the small crack in her voice.

The Doctor nodded. "Let's get you home, your mum will be worried. Nice force field by the way."

She smiled just a little. They used the TARDIS and Autumn looked around eyes full of wonder. Rose was going to tell the Doctor about her dreams but not yet. Best to get her back home first.

They left her with her mother, the Doctor talking to Abigail in private before they returned to the TARDIS hand in hand.

The Doctor was watching her even as he flipped switches, with an intensity she didn't know what to think about.

DW

He had given Abigail instruction on how to make her life easier here on Earth, promised to check up on them. And now it was just him and Rose again, and she looked like water in the desert.

"So what do you think about those dreams," Rose asked, and he hadn't been given her his full attention. Fortunately half of a Time Lords attention was like a full human.

"Slightly psychic, due to her father's race." He told her.

"Doctor," she said softly, moving closer to him. Close enough he found it difficult to take a breath.

"Yes, Rose," he asked throwing a smile on his face.

"Thank you, for coming, for finding me."

He looked at her, and saw the woman he loved. He couldn't stop his hand rising to her cheek. "I'll always come for you Rose. I lo…You are my Rose."

So he was a coward, every time, but her smile said she understood.

"And you are my Doctor, forever," she said softly, leaning up and kissing his cheek. "Will she be okay?"

The Doctor smiled, taking her hand and leading her to the door. They stepped outside, at a university, and he pointed to a now twenty year old Autumn who was walking with a friend. She looked at them, smiled, gave a tiny wave, and went back to talking.

"She will be fine, fantastic even."

He smiled at Rose, pulling her back into their home. Back into their life, so much better with two.


End file.
